Valve mechanism for dump cars



J. B. RHODES VALVE MECHANISM FOR DUMP CARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March30, 1918 Aug, 28, 1923@ Y n i 2 Aug. 28, 1923. y M4634@ I J. B. RHODESVALVE MECHANISM FOR DUMP CARS Filed March so, 191e 2 shwtsnt 2 f i; g3

Patented Aug. 28, 1923. Y

uit 'aras ma Parar "rra- J'AY B. RHODES, OF KALAIMLAZOO, MICHIGAN,ASSIGNOR -'.IJO WESTERN WHEELEID SCRAPER COMPANY, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, ACORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

VALVE MECHANISM FOR DUMP CARS.

*Application filed March 30, 1918. Serial No. 225,845.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAY B. RHODES, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Kalamazoo` in the lcounty of Kalamazoo and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ValveMechanism for Dump Cars, of which the following is a specification,reference being 'had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to dump cars of the type in which the car bed isdumped and restored toA operative position by means of compressed air,and it has particularly to do with the valve mechanism by which theadmission of compressed air to the dumping cylinders and its lexhaustion therefrom is controlled. 'My present invention has moreespecially to do with valve mechanism in which the further admission ofcompressed air to the dumping cylinders is cut off by the direct actionof the pistons therein, as they approach the end of their operatingstroke. A construction of this kind is shown and described in LettersPatent, No. 1,361,- 904, dated December 14, 1920, granted upon myapplication, and the object of my present invention is to providecertain improvements upon the construction shown and described lin mysaid patent. The specic features of improvement which form the subjectmat-ter of this application will more fully hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,-

Fig. 1 is a view partly in vertical section, illustrating part of a dumpcar cylinder and piston and the valve mechanism associated therewith,the parts being shown in the position they occupy while airunderpressure is being supplied to the cylinder and just before the valvemechanism operates to cut off such air pressure; f

.Fig 2 is a horizontal section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 4--4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the upper end of one member of vthecut-01T valve.

Referring to the drawings, 6 indicates one of the dumping cylinders, twoof which are usually employed, one at each side of the car near thelongitudinal center thereof, as shown for example in Letters Patent No,

1,103,314. 7 indicates the bottom of the cylinder, and 8 the headthereof, through which works a tubular plunger 9, to which 1s attachedthe piston head 10. The bottom 7 of thecylinder is provided with a'duct11 for the passage of air in the usual Way, so that by the admission ofcompressed air to said cylinder, 4the piston 10 may be forced )towardthe head 8 to dump the car bed or to restore it to its normal positionafter it has been dumped.

12 indicates a valve body, or casing, which is mounted upon the cylinderhead 8, preferably near the margin thereof, and is secured thereto bybolts 13, as shown in Fig. 1. 14 indicates a main valve chamber in thecasing 12, which is provided with a lateral passage 14a, leading to anair pipe 15, through which air under pressure is supplied to said valvechamber. The pipe 15 is provided with a cock 16, similar to an ordinarystop-and-waste cock, interposed between the pipe 15 and a pipe 17 whichconnects with a train pipe in the usual way.

v 18 indicates an annular channel in the upper port-ion of the mainvalve chamber 14', and 19 indicates a sleeve which fits closely in themain valve chamber 14 and forms a lining therefor. -The sleeve 19 isprovided withperforations 20 opposite the channel 18 to permit' air topass from the valve chamber 14 into said channel. 21 indicates acuto'lchamber which is parallel with the main valve chamber 14, and isconnected therewith by a transverse passage 22 which connects with theannular channel 18, as shown in Fig. 1. 23 indicates a plunger mountedin the main valve chamber 14 and extending through the lower end thereofto a seat 24 in the valve casing. Said seat extends around an exhaustport 25, as shown in Fig. 1. At its lower end the lunger 23 carries aWasher 26 to provide a tight closure at the lower end of the plunger 23is oit-tq the seat 24 and the exhaust port 25 is open. The upper end ofthe main valve chamber 14 is closed by screw plug 30 which carries adepending stop'31 arranged to overlie the upper end of the plunger 23and limit its upward movement.

32 indicates a duct in the form of a transverse passage which connectsintermediately with the cut-off chamber 21 and extends between the lowerend of the main valve chamber 14 and the exhaust port 25. Saidtransverse passage connects at its outer end with the operatingcylinder, the supply ot compressed air to which is controlled' by thevalve mechanism. Tn the construction shown this connection is made by apipe 33 which leads to the duct 11 at the lower end of the cylinder 6,as shown in Fig. 1.

34-35 indicate the upper and lower members of a plunger mounted in thecut-od chamber 21, as best shown in Fig. 1. The member 35 is providedwith a tubular stem 36 which screws into the member 34, and the lattermember is provided at its upper end with a marginal flange 37 whichrests upon a shoulder 38 provided in the upper portion of the cut-ofi"chamberon a level with the transverse passage 22. 39-40 indicateoppositely-disposed cupped leather washers which are mounted between themembers 34-35 and lit closely in the bore of the cutod chamber, as shownin Fig. 1. lTt will be noted that the parts being in the position shownin Fig. 1, the plunger composed of the members. 34-35 occupies thatportion of the cut-od' chamber which lies between the transversepassages 22--32, and consequently compressed air admitted to the mainvalve chamber 14, may flow through the transverse passage 22, downthrough the stem 36 to the transverse passage 32, and then through pipe33 to the cylinder 6 below the piston therein.

41 indicates a pin provided with' a hea 42 which rests in the lowerportion of the cut-od' chamber 21. Said pin passes through averticalpassage 43 in the cylinder head 8 and extends down into thecylinder in position to be engaged by the piston 10 shortly before itreaches the upper end of its stroke,

so that as said piston completes its stroke, it will. move said pinupward for a short distance. When the piston again descends, said pinwill drop by gravityv to its normal position. 44 indicates a plungerfitted in the lower portion of the cut-od chamber 21 and normallyresting upon the head 42 of. the pin 41. Said plunger is provided with acupped leather washer 44@L which fits closely in the bore of the cut-odchamber, and its upper end is provided with a socket in which is fitteda'plug 45 carrying at its upper end a leather washer 46. This leatherwasher is adapted to engage the lower face neeaeaa of the member 35,which overlies it, and in the construction shownis normally held incontact therewith by a spring 47, disposed between the plug 45 and theplunger 44, as shown in Fig. 1. Tn said figure the plug 45 is shown downout of operative position, which is the position it occupies when airunder pressure is passing through the stem 36 and the transverse passage32 to the cylinder, since the pressure of the air then operates to movethe plug 45 down out'of contact with the member 35. When the pressure iscut off, however, the tension of the spring 47 at once moves said plugup into engagement with the member 35, thereby closing the lower end ofthe passage through the stem 36.

48 indicates a valve member in the form of a spider, which is mounted inthe upper portion of the cut-oil2r chamber 21 above the member 34, asshown in Fig. 1. Said spider is provided with a central boss 49 which isSil adapted to tit into a recess 50 ina plug or cap 51, screwed into thevalve casing 12, over the cut-oill chamber, forming a closure for theupper end of said chamber. A spring 52 is mounted upon the boss 49 andbears in the socket 50, as shown in Fig. 1. Thus the spring 52 holds thevalve member 48 down yieldingly on its seat and provides a yielding stopwhich limits the upward movement of the kplunger members 34-35. Thevalve member 48 is provided centrally with a washer, preferably ofleather, which is adapted to se'at over the upper end of the stem 36when the members 34-35 are moved upward far enough, thereby closing saidstem against indow of compressed air from the passage 22 under certainconditions, as hereinafter explained.

- The operation of the valve mechanism described is as follows: When thevalve is not subjected to pressure from the train pipe, the plunger 23will be in its uppermost position against the stop 31, and theperforations 2() will be closed by the packing 27; also the' exhaust'port 25 will be open and 'the several parts of t-he cult-ofi' valvemechanism will be in the position shown in Fig. A1, except that the plug45 Will be in engagement with the member 35, and the member 34 will bein engagement with the valve member 48. Assuming that the cock 16 isope-ned to admit air under pressure from the train pipe, the pressure ofthe air in the main valve chamber 14 will move the plunger 23 down tothe position shown in Fig. 1, thereby opening the perforations 20 yandclosing the exhaust port 25. This will permit air under pressure to passthrough passage 22 to the upper portion of the cut-ofi' chamber 21,above the member 34, which will therebyr be forced downward out ofengagement withy the valve member through the tubular stem 36 to passage32 through which it will flow to pipe 33, and thence to the lowerportion of cylinder 6. The pressure of the air in the stem 36 at thistime will move the plug45 down ofi' its seat, against the action ofspring 47. rlhe pressure of the air admitted to the. cylinder 6 willmove the piston 10 up until it strikes the lower end of the pin 41,which will be moved upward until the piston reaches the upper end of itsstroke. This upward movement of the pin 41 will lift the plunger 44 andplug 45 until its washer 46 is seated against the lower face of theplunger member 35, thereby closing the lower end of the passage throughtubular stem 36 and cutting off further supply of compressed air to thecylinder 6. The upward move-4 ment of the plunger 44 will also carry theplunger members 3%35 up in the cut-oft' chamber until member 34 strikesthe washer carried by the spider 48, thereby closing the upper end ofthe stem 36, the spring 52 being compresse-d to a greater or less extentby `this operation. Thus both ends of the passage through the stem 36are closed, insuring the complete cu-tting ofi' of further compressedair. The parts will remain in this condition, with thepassage throughthe stem 36 closed at both ends, until the pressure is released from theinlet side of the valve by the engineer in the cab, or by turning thecock 16 to exhausting position. Until this is done, the pressure in thecylinder v6 may be maintained, as the plunger 23 will remain in positionto close the exhaust po-rt since the pressure in the main valve chamberand the connecting passages will remain substantially constant, owing tothe action of valves 48 and 45 which prevent flow of air in eitherdirection. As soon as the pressure in the main valve chamber 14 isreleased, however, the spring 29 will move the plunger 23 up against thestop 31 and close the perforations 20, at the same time opening theexhaust port 25. This will permit the air in the cylinder 6 to beexhausted through said exhaust port, and with the ensuing downwardmovement of the pisto-n 10, the pin 41 and the plunger 44 will move down-to the position shown in Fig. 1 by gravity, aided by the action ofsprings 52v and 47. When the plunger 44. moves down as described, th'eplug 45 will be held up inengagement with the lower end of the member 35by the action of the spring 47, and the member 34 will be held up inengagement with the member 48, so that the passage through the stem 36will remain closed at both ends. The members 34, 35 and 45 will,however, be moved down to the positions shown in Fig. 1 as soon as airunder pressure is aga-in admitted to the main valve chamber 14.

Although, as has'been suggested, my iinproved valve mechanism isdesigned primarily for use on dump cars, it may also be used for otherpurposes, and therefore I do not limit myself to using such valve ondump cars, and the claims hereinafter made should be construedaccordingly.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters atent, is,

1. A valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber, a cut-ott'chamber and an exhaust port, a passage connecting said chambers, fluidpressure controlled means in said valve chamber for controlling theadmission of air to said passage and for opening or closing said exhaustport, a plunger movable endwise in said cut-otf chamber for cut-ting offthe admission of air from said passage to said cut-off chamber, and aduct communicating with said exhaust port and with said cut-oil' chamberand leading to an operating cylinder.

2. A valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber, a cut-offchamber and an exhaust port, a passage connecting said chambers, fluidpressure controlled means in said valve chamber for controlling thetdinission of air to said passage and for opening or closing saidexhaust port, endwise movable means for cutting 0H the admission of airfrom said passage to said cut-off cham ber, a duct communicating withsaid exhaust port and with said cut otf chamber andy leading to anoperating cylinder, and means for cutting off communication between saidduct and said cut-oil' chamber.

3 A valve comprising a casing having a mam valve chamber, a cut-0Hchamber and an exhaust port, a passage connecting said chambers, fluidpressure controlled means in sa id valve chamber for controlling theadmission of air to said passage and for openlng o r closing saidexhaust port, a plunger in said cut-oli' chamber, said plunger having apassage therethrough, means for cutting ofi' the admission of air fromsaid first-mentloned passage to the passage through said plunger, and aduct communicating with said exhaust port and with the opposite end ofthe passage through said plunger and leading to an operating cylinder. u

4. A valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber, a cutofchamber and in said cut-ofi' chamber, said plunger having a passagetherethrough, means for cutting oft' the admission of air from saidfirst-mentioned passage to the passage through said plunger, a ductcommunicating with said exhaust port andwith the opposite end of thepassage through' said plunger and lead,- ing to an operating cylinder,and means for of air to said passage and for opening orclosing saidexhaust port, a plunger in said exhaust port and with the opposite endof.

the passage through said plunger and leading to an operating cylinder,and a cut-ofi device normally operating to cut 0H communication betweensaid duct and the lat'- ter passage and movable out of operativeposition by air pressure.

6. A valve comprising a casing having a.

main valve chamber, a cut-off chamber and an exhaust port, a p assageconnecting sald chambers, fluid pressure controlled means in said valvechamber for controlling the admission of air to said passage and foropening or closing said exhaust port, a plunger in said cut-off chamber,said plunger having a passage therethrough, means for cutting off theadmission of air from said first-mentioned passage to the passagethrough said plunger, a duct communicating with said exhaust port andwith the opposite end of the passage through said plunger and leading toan operating cylinder, a cut-0E device normally operating to cut o'communication between sa-id duct and the latter passage and movable outof operative position by air pressure, and means whereby said cut-offdevice may be held in operative position notwithstanding such airpressure.

7 A valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber, a cut-off'chamber and an exhaust port, a passage connecting said chambers, fluidpressure controlled means in said valve chamber controlling theadmission cut-ofll chamber, said plunger having a passage therethrough,a valve member adapted to cooperate with said plungerto cut 0H theadmission of air from said first-mentioned passage to the passagethrough said plunger, a duct communicating with said exhaust port andwith the latter passage andleading to an operating cylinder, and meansfor holding said valve member and said plunger in operative engagementwith each other notwithstanding pressure in said first-mentionedpassage.

8. A valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber, a cut-offchamber and an exhaust port, a passage connecting said chambers, fluidpressure controlled means in messa-a said valve chamber for controllingthe admission of air to said passage and for opening or closing saidexhaust port, a plunger in said cut-ofi' chamber, said plunger having apassage therethrough, a valve member adapted to cooperate with saidplunger to cut oli' the admission of air from said firstmentionedpassage to the passage through said plunger, a duct communicating withsaid exhaust port and with the latter passage and leading to anoperating cylinder, a cut-0H device for cutting oil the latter passagefrom said duct, and means for holding said valve member and saidcut-off' device in operative relation to said plunger notwithstandingpressure in said first-mentioned passage.

9. A valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber and acut-ofi' chamber, a passage connecting said chambers, means in said mainvalve chamber for opening and closing said passage, a tubular member insaid cut-olil chamber forming an air duct, a cut-off device movable intoengagement with said tubular member to prevent the flow of airtherethrough, and means whereby said cut-od device may be held inoperative position against pressure in said main valve chamber.

10. A valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber and acut-off chamber, a passage connecting said chambers, a tubular plungerin said cut-oill chamber and movable longitudinally .y therein, a valvemember adapted to cooperate with said plunger when the latter is movedlongitudinally in one direction, and a cut-oil' device movable intoengagement with said plunger to prevent the How of air therethrough.

l1. valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber and a cut-offchamber, a passage connecting said chambers, means in said main valvechamber for opening and closing said passage, a tubular plunger in saidcut-off chamber, a cut-off device movableA into engagement with saidtubular plunger,- said cut-off device comprising a plunger, a plugcarried thereby, and a sprin for projecting said plug and normally holing it in operative engagement with said plunger.

12. A valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber and cut-offchamber, a passage connecting said chambers, means in said main valvechamber for openingand closing said passage, a tubular plunger in saidcut-off chamber, a cut-off device movable into y engagement with saidtubular plunger, said cut-off device comprising a plunger, a plugcarried thereby, a spring for projecting said plug'and normally holdingit in operative engagement with said plunger, and means whereby saidcut-off device may be held in operative engagement with said plungeragainst the pressure of air in said main valve chamber.

13. A valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber and acut-off chamber, a passage connecting said chambers, means in said mainvalve chamber for opening and closing said passage, an endwise movabletubular plunger in said cut-off chamber, a cut-off device movable intoengagement with said tubular plunger, said cut-off device comprising aplunger, a plug carried thereby, a spring for projecting said plug andnormally holding it in operative engagement with said plunger, meanswhereby said cutoff device may be held in operative engagement with saidplunger against the pressure of air in said main valve chamber, and avalve member adapted to be engaged by said tubular plunger by endwisemovement thereof.

14. The combination with a cylinder and a piston operating therein, of avalve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber and a cut-offchamber, a passage connecting said chambers, means in said main valvechamber for opening and closing said passage, an exhaust port, a ductconnecting said cut-off chamber with said cylinder and with said exhaustport, a tubular plunger in said cut-oil:` chamber, a cu't-oi' devicecomprising a plunger, a plug carried thereby, and a spring forprojecting said plug and normally holding it in operative engagementwith said tubular plunger, and means operated by movement of said pistonfor holding said cut-off device in operative engagement with saidtubular plunger against the pressure of air in said main valve chamber.

15. A valve comprising a casing having a cut-ofi' chamber and inlet andoutlet passages communicating therewith, means for controlling theadmission lof compressed air to said inlet passage, an endwise movableplunger in said chamber having a longitudinally-extending passage forconnecting said inlet passage with said outlet passage, and meansadapted to cooperate with said plunger to close the passage therethroughagainst the admission of fluid thereto from said inlet passage.

16. A valve comprising a casing having a cut-off chamber and inlet andoutlet passages communicating therewith, means for controlling theadmission of compressed air to said inlet passage, an endwise movableplunger in said chamber `having a longitudinally-extending passage forconnecting said inlet passage with said outlet passage, a valve memberadapted to cooperate with said plunger to close the passage therethroughagainst the admission of yiuid thereto from said inlet passage, andmeans for moving said plunger into operative engagement with said valvemember.

17. A valve comprising a casing having a cut-oil' chamber and inlet andoutlet passages communicating therewith, means for controlling theadmission of compressed air to said inlet passage, an endwise movableplunger in said chamber having a longitudinally-extending passage forconnecting vsaid inlet passage with said outlet passage,

a valve member adapted to cooperate with said plunge-r to close thepassage therethrough against the admission of fluid thereto from saidinlet passage, and Huid pressure operated means adapted to operate tohold said plunger in operative engagement with said valve member againstthe pressure of fluid in said inlet passage.

18. A valve comprising a casing having a cut-ofi' chamber and inlet andoutlet pas.- sages communicating therewith, means for con rolling theadmission of compressed air inlet passage, an endwise movab-le plungerin said chamber having a lo-ngitudinall -extending passage forconnecting said inlet passage with said outlet passage, and meansadapted to cooperate with said plunger tocut-oi' the passage thereinfrom said outlet passage. y

19. A valve comprising a casing having a cut-off chamber and inlet andoutlet passages communicating therewith, means for controllin theadmission of compressed air to said in et passage, an endwise movableplunger in said chamber having a longitudinally extending passage forconnecting said inlet passage with said outlet passage and fluidpressure operated means adapte to operate to cut-ofi' the passage insaid plunger from said outlet passage.

20. A valve comprising a casing having a cut-ofi' chamber and inlet andoutlet passages communicating therewith, means for controlling theadmission of com ressed air to said inlet passage, a valve mem erin saidchamber having a passage therethrough for connecting said inlet passagewith said outlet passage, and devices cooperating with. said valvemember to close both ends of the passage therethrough.

21. A valve comprising a casing having a cut-off chamber and inlet andoutlet passages communicating therewith, means for controllin theadmission of compressed air to said in et passage, an endwise movableplunger in said chamber and having a longitudinally extending passagefor connecting said inlet passage with said outlet passage, and devicesadapted to cooperate with said plunger to close both ends of the passagetherethrough.

22. A valve comprising a casing having a cut-off chamber and inlet andoutlet passages communicating therewith, means for controlling theadmission of compressed air to said inlet passage, an endwise movableplunger in said chamber having a longisaid inlet passage With saidoutlet passage, a valvemember at the inlet end of the passage throughsaid plunger and cooperating with said plunger to close said passageWhen said plunger is moved longitudinally in. one direction, a valvemember cooperating with the outlet end of the passage through saidplunger for closing the same, and means for moving said plunger and thelatter valve member to close both ends of the passage through theplunger against pressure in said inlet passage.

23. rlhe combination With a cylinder and a piston operating therein, ofa valve comprising a casing having a cut-off chamber and inlet andoutlet passages communicating therewith, said outlet passagecommunicating with said cylinder, means for controlling the admission ofcompressed air to said inet passage, an endwise movable plunger in saidchamber having a longitudinally-extending passage for connecting saidinlet passage with said outlet passage, means adapted to coo-perate withsaid plunger to close the passage therethroughy against the admission offluid thereto from said inlet passage, and means operated by said pistonfor actuating said plunger to close the passage therethrough against theadmission of fluid thereto from said inlet passage.

24. The combination With a cylinder and a piston operating therein, ofaI valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber and a cut-oli'chamber, a passage connecting said chambers, means in said valve chamberoperated by air pressure to control the admission of air to saidpassage, a passage through said cut-oft' chamber adapted to communicateat one end with said firstmentioned passage, a duct connecting thereleases opposite end of the passage through said cutoil chamber Withsaid cylinder, and means operated by movement of said piston for closingthe passage through said cut-ofi' chamber at both ends.

25. rThe combination with a cylinder and a piston operating therein, ofa valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber and a cut-ofi'chamber, a passage connecting said chambers, means in said valve chamberoperated by air pressure to control the admission of air to saidpassage, a. plunger in said cut-ofi chamber, said plunger having apassage therethrough adapted to communicate at one end With saidfirst-mentioned passage, a duct ycommunicating with the other end of thepassage through said plunger and With said cylinder, and means operatedby movementof said piston for cutting ofil communication between saidfirstmentioned passage and the passage through said plunger.

26. The combination with a cylinder and aI piston operating therein, ofa valve comprising a casing having a main valvechamber and a cut-oli'chamber, a passage eonnecting said chambers, means in said valve chamberoperated by air pressure to control4 the admission of air to saidpassage, a plunger in said cut-oli chamber, said plunger havinga passagetherethrough adapted to communicate at one end With said'irst-mentionedpassage, a duct communicating With. the other end of the passage throughsaid plunger and with.` said cylinder, and means operated by themovement of the piston for closing the passage through said plunger atboth ends.

,mr B. Rrionns.

